Crunchy Peanut Butter Cookies

These large crunchy peanut butter cookies are not only for kids: this version is packed with peanuts, as well as peanut butter, and not quite as sweet as the standard fare. If you want to get really creative, you can substitute the Virginia peanuts with cashew nuts, pistachio nuts or lightly salted pecans.

Commercial peanut butter, rather than freshly ground or natural peanut butter, yields a better result in this recipe.

Yield: about 48 

    * 1 cup Zenobia Virginia Peanuts
    * 1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
    * 1 cup white sugar
    * 1 cup loosely packed light brown sugar, packed
    * 2 large eggs, at room temperature
    * 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
    * 1 1/2 cups smooth peanut butter
    * 3 1/3 cups all purpose white flour
    * 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Place the peanuts on a cutting board and coarsely chop. Set aside.

Place the butter and sugars in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle and beat until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the eggs, vanilla extract and peanut butter, being careful not to over beat.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the flour and baking soda and mix until well incorporated. Add the peanuts and mix well.

Drop tablespoons of dough 2 inches apart on the prepared sheet and flatten with fork tines. Transfer to the oven and bake until brown on edges but soft in middle, about 15-18 minutes. Cool the cookie sheet between batches.